Kerala - Kochi   

Corporation to buy fewer cars

Kochi: Purchase of vehicles is not the priority of the Kochi Corporation. At least for the time being.

The announcement of Kochi Mayor Mercy Williams at one of the recently held special council meetings that the Corporation needs to purchase seven vehicles, including Scorpio cars, had created a furore in the council. The decision even invited the wrath of the ruling party members. CPI (M) parliamentary party secretary K.J. Antony even went to the extent of terming the decision as an insult to the people of Kochi.

Mr. Antony’s criticism of the State Government stripping the Kochi Corporation of its powers to clear garbage from the city streets had made his party colleagues squirm in their seats. His party colleague K.G. Dineshan protested at the council meeting against his statements.

It was the timing of the decision that made the protests against the decision to buy vehicles louder. It was at a time when the city life was moving at snail’s pace along the potholed roads that the decision came.

The widespread public outcry against the decision made even the party bosses sit up and take stock of the situation. The CPI (M) parliamentary party meeting held recently decided to recommend to the Corporation leadership to reduce the number of vehicles to be purchased to three. “The vehicles of the Corporation need to be replaced as they have been extensively used. A decision of the Finance Committee for the purchase of vehicles still exists. However, it has now been decided to reduce the number of vehicles to be purchased to three,” Ms. Williams said.

The Corporation will soon formally a take a decision in this regard. It would be for the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and the Corporation secretary that the new vehicles would be purchased, Ms. Williams said.

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